Welcome to SPJ Blogs Sign in | Join | Help

October 2008 - Posts

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:52 PM

New York Times slams Quinnipiac's threats against SPJ chapter

Kudos to The New York Times for an editorial Tuesday scolding Quinnipiac University officials for curbing free speech through its repressive policies toward a student newspaper and the SPJ student chapter. During the past few months the university hasn't
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:01 AM

Chicago police arrest photographer, take camera, and erase files

Chicago police arrested a freelance photographer, jailed him, confiscated his equipment and deleted photos, according to a story by CBS channel 2. Mike Anzaldi was covering a police shooting when he got into a dispute with officers. Police say he crossed
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:44 PM

South Carolina to start charging $25 for each criminal background check

The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division is going to start charging the media $25 for each time they want a routine criminal background history on suspects, according to a story in The Post and Courier. Before, the press got two checks per day
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Monday, October 13, 2008 5:25 PM

Should SPJ provide government-recognized license for journalists?

The Oregon flap over defining journalists is causing some people to suggest that trade organizations (e.g., SPJ) should license journalists for official government recognition. Gulp. The issue arose recently because of Oregon's open meeting
posted by DavidCuillier | 1 Comments
Friday, October 10, 2008 12:51 PM

Should presidential debates be open to real questions?

If you've been watching the presidential debates you probably notice that they really aren't debates. They are fabricated pseudo-news events where the candidates determine the terms and therefore get to spout off the same rehearsed messages that they
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Thursday, October 09, 2008 11:17 AM

Texas high school principal censors paper over anti-gun editorial

A principal from a Texas high school didn't care for the student paper criticizing him for a gun-slinging pep rally that some students opposed. So he censored the paper. According to a story in the Daily Sentinel, some students objected to a pep rally
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 8:36 PM

'He never gets a break from the mean-spirited liberal media'

If newspapers don't endorse your campaign, toss them in the trash. Rootin', tootin' Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Phoenix, Ariz., (see item below, not to mention previous blog items about his disdain for FOI and the media in February and
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 8:30 PM

Phoenix New Times lawsuit against sheriff tossed out of court

Today a federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed by The Phoenix New Times against the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for the arrests last year of two of the newspaper's executives, according to an AP story. Michael Lacey and Jim Larken were arrested
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 7:35 PM

Blogger questions Oregon's media executive session exception

A blogger in Oregon is questioning a state law that allows "representatives of the news media" and no other citizens to sit in on executive sessions. An author of a political blog wanted to sit in on the Lake Oswego City Council's executive session
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 1:39 AM

Gaining access one document at a time

Just ran across this story. We need more Carl Malamuds...Carl Malamud, a Sebastopol resident with an impressive track record of pushing for digital access to public information, wants California -- and every other federal, state and local agency --
posted by JoelCampbell | 0 Comments
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 12:59 AM

Oregon city wants to decide who is a journalist

The Lake Oswego (Ore.) City Council  is considering adopting a policy that would define who qualifies as a "member of the news media." Oregon has a unique Open Meetings Law that allows the news media to attend executive sessions. The policy
posted by JoelCampbell | 0 Comments
Monday, October 06, 2008 4:35 PM

New York village bats about idea of banning recordings from public meetings

The village of Islandia in New York initially proposed a new law that would ban the recording of public board meetings through use of tape recorders, video cameras and even cell phones. Carl Corry from the Press Club of Long Island (the SPJ chapter for
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Friday, October 03, 2008 12:24 PM

Locy could face big legal fees in contempt case

Former USA Today reporter Toni Locy is facing potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees because of the contempt case against her, according to The Associated Press. Steven J. Hatfill sued the government for privacy invasion by naming
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Friday, October 03, 2008 11:48 AM

Arizona AG says public meetings can be held online

The Arizona attorney general issued an opinion this week suggesting that public bodies may hold meetings online as long as the public is given notice and allowed to observe. A school district wanted to know if it could conduct deliberations online in
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Thursday, October 02, 2008 9:24 PM

Schwarzenegger signs bill protecting school journalism advisers from pressure tactics

   The First Amendment Center reports that California Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation barring school administrators from retalliating against high school and college journalism instructors. S.B. 1370, sponsored by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San
posted by DonaldMeyers | 0 Comments
Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:42 AM

Baltimore newspaper questions high copy fees, agency drops the cost

The Towson Times in Baltimore County, Md., thought the county's charge of $10 for a simple police report was a little steep. Afterall, the state public information act says agencies can charge only "reasonable charges" to recover "actual costs" to produce
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments
Wednesday, October 01, 2008 8:48 PM

Secret Service must do a better job searching for White House logs

As reported by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today, a series of rulings handed down this week order the Secret Service to search its computers again for records related to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's White House visits. Judicial
posted by DavidCuillier | 0 Comments